Many old books are reference volumes that have seen fairly heavy wear, and continue to be used. Below is an example of such a book. The boards were preserved to maintain some originality, and the spine was reproduced in a similar fashion. Reusing a spine piece on a restoration or replacing it with all new materials is always a difficult question. I try to err on the side of preservation, and keeping as much as possible of original bindings. But sometimes this is impractical. If a book is to be used regularly, an old spine will only be a liability. Better to keep the original in the back of the book, and replace the spine with a sympathetic new spine. A properly worked up spine can do great justice to a displaced original.

Baxter, History of Grand Rapids, Michigan, NY, Munsell, 1891

The spine before restoration. Because the book was going to be used fairly regularly, a new spine was opted for, and the old spine preserved in the inside cover.

About The Binder's Ticket

A binder’s ticket is a little slip of paper, printed with the binder’s information. Pretty straightforward. But it is more than that. This small slip of paper has been a great venue for design over the centuries; it is also a window into the binder’s world and the context in which he worked; and it […]more →